New York politicians admonish GOP for dropping Hurricane Sandy vote

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., left, joined by other New York area-lawmakers affected by Superstorm Sandy, express their anger and disappointment after learning the House Republican leadership decided to allow the current term of Congress to end without holding a vote on aid for the storm's victims. The Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — New
York lawmakers from both parties on Wednesday lashed out at the
decision by House GOP leaders not to hold a vote on Hurricane Sandy aid
in the current Congress, calling it a "betrayal."

Reps. Michael
Grimm, a Republican, and Jerrold Nadler, a Democrat, said in angry House
floor remarks that while they did not agree on much, House Speaker John
Boehner's decision would be a crushing blow to states battered by the
late October storm.

Grimm
and Nadler were among several New York and New Jersey lawmakers who
took to the House floor to complain about Boehner's move. The lawmakers
said Boehner pulled the bill without talking to them.

"It's the
most disgraceful action I've seen in this House," said Nadler. "It is a
betrayal by the speaker personally of the members of this House," Nadler
said.

Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., called it a "cruel knife in the
back" to New and New Jersey. He said some Republicans have a double
standard when it comes to providing aid to New York and New Jersey
compared with other regions of the country suffering disasters. Somehow,
he said, money going to New York and New Jersey is seen as "corrupt."

He
said those same Republicans have no trouble coming to New York and New
Jersey to raise millions of dollars. King urged donors from the two
states not to give money to Republicans who are ignoring their needs on
Sandy.

King said Congress approved $60 billion for Hurricane
Katrina in 2005 within 10 days, but hasn't appropriated any money for
Sandy in over two months.

Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., D-N.J., blamed
tea party lawmakers and conservatives who were reluctant to approve new
spending soon after the debate over the "fiscal cliff" budget issues for
the sudden move by GOP leaders. He said the move was "deplorable."

New York and New Jersey lawmakers said they believed they had support for both measures.

"I am convinced it would have passed," said Rep. Frank LoBiiondo, R-N.J., who represents Atlantic City which was hard hit

LoBiondo said New York and New Jersey lawmakers have backed past disaster aid bills for other states.

"Now when it comes to us, we have a lot of hemming and hawing," LoBiondo said.

The
lawmakers had erupted in anger late Tuesday night after learning the
House Republican leadership decided to allow the current term of
Congress to end without holding a vote on aid for victims of Hurricane
Sandy.

King said Tuesday night he was told by the office of
Majority Leader Eric Cantor of Virginia that Boehner had decided to
abandon a vote this session.

Cantor, who sets the House schedule,
did not immediately comment. New York and New Jersey GOP lawmakers were
hoping to meet with Cantor and Boehner on Wednesday.

House
Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer of Maryland told reporters that just before
Tuesday evening's vote on "fiscal cliff" legislation, Cantor told him
that he was "99.9 percent confident that this bill would be on the
floor, and that's what he wanted."

A spokesman for Boehner,
Michael Steel on Wednesday would not say whether Boehner would
reconsider his decision on Sandy aid, responding with the same statement
he issued on Tuesday night: "The speaker is committed to getting this
bill passed this month."

More than $2 billion in federal funds has
been spent so far on relief efforts for 11 states and the District of
Columbia struck by the storm, one of the worst ever to hit the
Northeast. The Federal Emergency Management Agency's disaster relief
fund still has about $4.3 billion, enough to pay for recovery efforts
into early spring, according to officials. The unspent FEMA money can
only be used for emergency services, said Pallone.

New York, New
Jersey, Connecticut, District of Columbia, West Virginia, Virginia,
Maryland, New Hampshire, Delaware, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania and
Massachusetts are receiving federal aid.

Sandy was blamed for at
least 120 deaths and battered coastline areas from North Carolina to
Maine. New York, New Jersey and Connecticut were the hardest hit states
and suffered high winds, flooding and storm surges. The storm damaged or
destroyed more than 72,000 homes and businesses in New Jersey. In New
York, 305,000 housing units were damaged or destroyed and more than
265,000 businesses were affected.